I have seen many pictures and videos of ttd but no one has every told me how the ride is really like. if you have been on it please tell me about it thanks

div

It's fast, it makes your heart race, your cheeks and eyelids flap in the front seat, the g-forces are powerful, you might get airtime, there's a headchopper down the drop, you hit the brakes.

It's 20 seconds of a really quick, sort of overhyped ride.

But a rollback is worth the wait.

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thank you for your comment. i cant wait to ride it myself

Well let's see. In the front row, it is amazing. You sit there looking at this monstrosity of a tower and before you know it you are going 120 mph. Your cheeks are hitting the person behind you. Your eyes are flapping like crazy. You get pulled into your seat. Then you are 420' in the air with an amazing view. The drop is awesome as well. As Chip said, there is a nice headchopper. Then it is done. Good ride.

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im assuming its like kingda ka without the bunny hill so...

the launch is crazy. when youre at full speed, its the fastest feeling you will probably ever feel. you ascend the top hot very quickly and before you know it youre already going down. i personally dont think it feels like 456 feet high, you barely feel the hight to it. and the descent down the tophat isnt as exciting as you would think. dont expect a 400+ drop like a normal rollercoaster. i think the spiral ruins the drop, you dont get that falling feeling. the launch is one of the ebst things in the world but thats pretty much it.

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I think the reaso the drop is ruined is because whe you go through the spiral, you dont get the "OMG I'm going to be ejected from this seat" feeling. It is like there is something infront of you where on Millennium Force (lets say) there is nothing infront of you and your view isn't obstructed by a massive spiral.

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Edit: SheiKra

I have not rode it, but I have rode KK, so I think I can talk about it. The launch is the best part. Its the fastest acceleration you'll ever prolly feel, unless you drive a professional drag car. Going up the tower, you don't feel it as much as you would think, but you do look right up at the sky, so its a cool feeling. Then the top. Awesome veiw, I felt airtime, but I don't know if it was just me. I felt like I was about to fly out. On the way down, you don't feel like your falling, or anything, but the twist 's rails make a good headchopper. And just crusing going ~120mph after going down the top hat is really good too. Its really exciting, but don't do what I did, and overthink it. It wasn't as good for me because I was ready for it. Don't be ready.

Here is TTD in a nutshell:
After a long wait, you carefully board the dragster-like trains. Instructions are given and you roll smoothly out on to the launch platform. Now, you wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. Then, without warning, you blast off into oblivion. Your head is glued to the seat and everything is blurred but the menacing spire directly ahead of you. After four seconds of not being able to breathe, the train rockets straight up, jerks violently right, and begins to slow. It's at this moment that you can decide to do one of a few things. 1.) Put your hands up (if they aren't already). 2.) Look at the view (if you have any brainpower left). Or 3.) sit back and enjoy.
The end of the ride comes faster than it should. Your seat aims down with you attatched. It twists mercilessly to the right and you are sure that you'll fall out at any second. The track levels out and your makeshift dragster car slows down easily. It's over.

Now do it again - in 17 seconds.

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[QUOTE=steel]Now, you wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. Then, without warning, you blast off into oblivion. [/QUOTE]

I could swear that stop light before the launch was a warning...I havent been on it though

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Dirty Tramp

The launch on Ka, and I would imagine TTD as well, is unbelieveable. On Ka, the launch starts off with a scream, and then about halfway through it gets silent. It's literally too fast to scream. The blur that you get when you're launching is intensified in the front row with all of the extra wind you are getting making your eyes flutter. It's literally like the wind is trying to blow your eyes open and closed at the same time. You can't breathe for half of the launch because it's just too much air. Your cheeks are flapping just like on those shows. It's crazy when it happens to you because you don't think that it can. It's just incredible.

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Boring. No, not the ride but these reviews. Most of the posts in this thread simply state the obvious-what you could see and figure out from watching a POV of it.

Here's my review of Top Thrill Dragster as taken from my trip report in 2003, written one day after I rode it, one week after TTD opened for the public in May 2003.

[QUOTE=coasterlove]We get to the start of the queue and see that people are turning away from it for some reason. We find out why. Despite the queue only being a little more than half filled, the worker says it will be a FOUR HOUR WAIT!!! She says it could be more, it could be less. We're hesitant to wait. I overhear her say that they are allowing people to leave the line for the bathroom but that they have to come back in 10 minutes or less to reenter the line where we were.

Before heading in line we instead head to the bathroom just in case. We get in the line and begin to wait. About the time We get in line, I look at my cell phone to keep track of time- 12:55pm. The line seems to be moving at an ok pace. It doesn't seem as if it should take 4 hours to get on. I watch as train after train launches.

I finally get to see that the trains are now up to 16 passengers. Good news for the capacity. They were being launched 2 or 3 back to back really quick but then a long time before they would be sent again. Time is passing and it for sure looks as if it will be less than 4 hours. In only about 1 1/2, we are only about 30 feet from the station. I start to get nervous for 2 reasons. One is the ride itself, two are the clouds that are starting to appear and a couple of drops I have felt now.

Luckily the rain never came and about 25-30 minutes later, we're next up waiting for our train to arrive, THE BLUE ONE. We get in and seated in the 4th row, I'm on the left and my friend on the right. I see that is nothing to hold on to except for your restraint. I hear "Clear" and we start to "drive" forward to the launch position and then stop. We can hear now the engines roaring and I know it's only a short matter of time. I don't know what to feel. I'd like to put my hands up but don't know if I have the courage to do so.

I hear the noice of the breaks drop and then it happens before I know it, we're launched. A million feeling go through my body, all of them good in their own way. I PUT MY HANDS UP!!! We shoot up in a matter of seconds. We start to twist, Where this thing just starts to twist, Wicked Twister has stopped twisitng. When Dragster stops twisting, Millennium Force starts it's drop but this EVIL thing keeps going up!!! We get to top and it's almost hard to realize how high you have gotten until you get on the actual top for those 2 seconds and see Millennium Force below, that is if you still even have your eyes open.

You drop now and see the yellow cross beem just fly past you and now youi're leveling out and coming into the breaks. Try to pose or smile becuase you're about to have your second picure taken on this ride. It's hard to describe it becuase it is so fast and can barely take it all in on one ride, sadly this would be my only ride on it during this trip.[/QUOTE]

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YOUR HATRED AMUSES ME

This is only roller coaster that after about 10 rides still makes me rather nervous before it goes. The launch off the line right at the first moment doesn't seem too bad, but within a second as the rate of accel. increases severely, your at the ride's mercy, plain as that. My legs go numb every time during the launch, there is no way you can breathe during the launch, and the speed is so incredible that the straight track feels a little rough at the end of the launch. TTD is the only hydra-launch I've been on, greatest thrill ride I've ever been on, not the best roller coaster though because it's only one hill and that just doesn't impress me (for a roller coaster). Waste of money?? Heck yahh!!! Do I really care though, honestly, no, and I never cared about the height record anyway.

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Thank you for riding Reaper! Drop Ride to Doom, and remember to desecrate a sanctuary today.

I saw God three times on this ride.

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"Ok, fat ***, we've just traveled 2,460 miles just for a little Roy Wally entertainment. The moose says you're closed. I say you're open!"

[QUOTE=Griswold]I saw God three times on this ride.[/QUOTE]


saw god once first time i rode it.but its very cool no matter how many times you ride it.fyi though get there like very early before the park opens and you wont have to wait 3 hrs if you ride it first thing.

I'll write my typical essay......

If anyone tells you everything on Top Thrill Dragster happens too quickly, disregard them. It'll replay in your head for almost as long as you live....the moments that is. Your first ride, and your first ride in the front. Its quite a ectatic ride for your mind and sense to endulge in.

The first thing you'll obviously remember is the starting launch and sequence. You gaze into a towering structure, and you are confused. You don't get exactly how you will ultimatley end up that high. Revving engines and roaring sounds are dismissed as you hear your own self wither in fear. As for me, I yelled out a "HOLY CRAP" just for the sake of my own self. You'll feel your heart beat faster and faster...waiting...waiting. Anticipation is the greatest thing, especially when you've been waiting for this one moment for your entire life.

The yellow light lights up at the top...your heart drops.
The second one comes.....you gaze forward and question why you are on Top Thrill Dragster...
The third hits....you don't even know WHAT to think, you're going...
Green...if you remember even seeing it cause you take off so quickly.

The launch puts you in a blur. You see the track in front of you in focus...but everything around is blurred. Your plastered into your seat as you catapualt towards the tower. It comes closer and closer, but your mind races with all the G forces upon you. The launch ends and you lunge forward in your seat from all the power.....

Going up the tower, everything happens in these 3 steps:

1. Initial recognition of height: As you slowly begin to crest, you are slowly astonished by the sheer height. You can't exactly see how high you are, but the fear of finding out is near and bugging you to hell. You slowly creep up and bear for the next step.

2. Cresting: You get to the top and feel as if you are on top of the world. I could've sworn I was on top of the earth, and looking over the entire state of Ohio. Lake Eerie? You mean Eerie Pond? It seems like a tiny strip of land stuck into a pond ontop of the mighty Top Thrill Dragster. You slowly dive down, but you are still aweing at sheer height. You are scared to death of the feeling about how you feel "unstable" and up so high on a small structure.

3. Towards earth: Wait a minute...I remember Millennium Force was tall. Too bad it looks like a minature model from atop Top Thrill Dragster. You'll basically crap your pants at how small Millennium Force looks. I couldn't believe it....It replays in my head "Millennium Force....small????? WTF?!?!?!?!" Its confusing, yet scary to your own self at the same time. Arching a little more, you peer into the spiral of twisted steel and supports....looking straight down through the circular tube to sheer ground. You're looking at a basically impossible act of physics. How the hell are you gonna make it through? It looks freaking IMPOSSIBLE. NO..NOT HAPPENING. You slowly roll to the right and arch your head towards fast moving support beams. Seeing your whole world come close to you in a fast spiraling motion...whats going on? Just wait.

You then later slowly come back to the only position that makes sense to you...level ground and violently braking. Forget the breaks...you're screaming...laughing...and wondering about what you did. Utterly impossible, thrilling, and so great.

You just embarked upon the greatest thrill in the world, and of your life. You get off and look back at the structure, only to get back in line.

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It was 8:00pm of August 27th 2005;we had waited 2 hours and 15 minutes in line, than we finally got to the plattform, our train arrived and we got on it and I found out that it was very confortable. I was sitting in the last row on the left.
After a few moments the train left (I was so nervous...) and we stopped in front of the light "KEEP ARMS DOWN HEAD BACK AND HOLD ON". The sound of the engine started to get louder like we were on a real dragster and my legs started shaking very hard.
So we waited ... ... ...
After a long wait I heard and saw the magnetic things coming out of the track and I knew it was only a matter of seconds befor the launch.
So I stared at the the light and befor I could ralize what happened we launched.
Wow...the launch is amazing...I couldn't see anything we were going too fast.
When it stopped accelerating I relaxed a little bit watching the tower coming closer. A secnd later all I could see was the black sky in front of me and befor I could realize I was going up we were already at the top. When we reached the top my necklace came up out of my shirt so I spent my second on the top of the world catching my necklace and putting it in the first place I could think about: my mouth. So we started going down the spiral and in a few other seconds we were past the finish line.
I was so happy and I can't wait to come back and ride it again.

TTD got lapbars?

Yes, TTD does have only lapbars and I think that ehances the experience..I have ridden TTD around 20 times everytime I ride I still get scared even though I am prepared for what is about to happen. TTD is the most thrilling experience I have ever done words just cant describe how intense the launch is.

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HAPPY 100 HERSHEY!

I've only ridden Dragster one time but it definately ranks right up there near the top of my all-time favorite list. You've definately gotta put your hands up during the launch cause there is no greater feeling that having them pushed back as you launch. If you don't have them up during the launch, put them up as you go over the top and be sure to look around and admire the view of Lake Erie and Millenium Force over 100 feet below you.

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TTD is amazing. I know some of you think it ain't that great and is overly talked about as being so great, but it is a awesomely great masterpiece of a ride. It was the to hit 400 ft and there for to me will always be better than Kingda Ka. I rode and just couldn't believe it. I was shaking, it was just too fun. I laughed the whole way on the return to the brakes. Now that is a great ride. Anyone who hasn't gotten to ride it I feel sorry for you, becuase it is an amazing ride and worth every bit of credit to its name. It is my favorite coaster. I never ridden a coaster like even when Millennium opened and I rode it for the first time. TTD to me is the Holy Grale of its time and to have it in a great amusement park like Cedar Point only makes that even better. I will never forget my ride and still almost remember the entire ride and my reaction of every second which you can't say to most rides because it is only 20 sec long and I remember about 15 of them. The top it what is kind of hazy but it is still my favorite coaster and will remain to be for a while to come.

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Here Ya go:
To simulate the feeling of the Horizontal Launch, have a friend stand on your chest for 4 seconds.
To simulate the Vertical Upwards portion, just get blasted out of a cannon, lol.
If I am lying, please let me know, lol.......
Thats how TTD Really feels !!!!!!

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Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of (400’) Make that 500' !!!

I'll add more thing, this song called Bug Eyes by Dredg has this creepy speed guitar riff that resembles the sound of Dragster's launch. It's like what I could always hear on some level when I was riding. [url]http://music.yahoo.com/ar-277573-videos--Dredg[/url] Everything during the launch fades into blur and time seems to slow in your mind, as this is the longest 4 seconds life has to offer.

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Thank you for riding Reaper! Drop Ride to Doom, and remember to desecrate a sanctuary today.

[quote=bEnCeRiSbACk]I could swear that stop light before the launch was a warning...I havent been on it though[/quote]

You would think the X-mas Tree lights would be the warning, but you blast of on one of the three yellows. The lights on the tower turn on during your launch.

Aside from that, it's impossible to see from anywhere but the front two rows.

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Well, Dragster goes something like this: IF you are lucky enough to catch the front seat is best. You get seated in the train and you secure your seatbelt and pull your lapbar back, the attendant comes to see if you have an inch clearance in your seatbelt. Then the thumbs up are given and you roll out to the launch/staging area, brake fins pop up and there you sit. If you are in the front seat you will see a red and silver thing come at you down the middle of the track and under the very seat you are sitting in, brake fins go down and you roll backward about an inch.
An invisible engine revs and you hear the words "arms down" "head back" "hold on", the "engine" changes it's tone and you are pulled hard down the track. If you have you eyes open, it's all a blur as you hit 120+mph at the end of the straightaway. Then straight up you climb,twist to the right slowing as you get to the very top 420' high. Depending on how fast the train is going you MIGHT get a good view of the park as you ride over the top, but the view will not last long as you are back in another 90 degree drop with a 270 degree twist hitting 120mph again as you hit the brake run slowing to a smooth stop.
That's what dragster is like

I'm sure I'll remember that launch for the rest of my life.

Aside from the launch, which is really hard to describe accurately, the single best moment from TTD that I recall was where we were just starting to crest the hill. For a few milliseconds, you start o drop with ZERO view of the track that you're dropping on. Between that view, and the sharp radius of the drop, it almost feels as if you're just going to go off of an edge and fall.

The launch gives an unbelieveable feeling. You're pushed back in the seat much harder during the launch than you are during the ascent of the tophat.

But honestly, we could al type on for hours and hours- you really gotta ride it to know what it's like.

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I was wondering: What is Top Thrill Dragster's really like when you roll back?

I wish for a rollback every time I ride, have seen one from the ground though

I have seen one from the ground too.

[QUOTE=bEnCeRiSbACk]I could swear that stop light before the launch was a warning...I havent been on it though[/QUOTE]

It is, but it goes so fast that if you don't have superhuman reflexes, you won't have time to realize that the train is about to launch and you will be jerked into the back of your seat. 4 seconds later, you will be shooting straight upward at speeds in excess of 100 mph and eventually crest the top of the tophat and then spiral straight down at speeds (again) in excess of 100 mph!

(Previous post: Me too. I was in the station for the front seat when it happened.)